September 15 Diez y Seis de Septiembre Celebration Mariachi Alma Mexicana, St. Vincent Ballet Folklorico Dancers and special guest Ruben Ramos Sears Park,2250 Ambler El Diez y Seis de Septiembre, Sears Park, 2250 Ambler, September 15, 2009 Tonight as we celebrate nearly 200 years since Father Miguel Hidalgo proclaimed his now famous “Grito de Dolores”  to rally his 80,000 followers in pursue of Mexico’s  independence from Spain, we gather here  to celebrate el “Deiz y Seis de Septiembre”, Mexico’s Independence Day.  Padre Hidalgo, a village priest,  rang the church bells in Dolores, Mexico on the evening of September 15th, 1810 to lead a revolt against the Spanish rule.  For three centuries the native born Mexicanos had been disqualified to hold top positions in the Spanish rule of New Spain. Padre Hidalgo led this armed revolutionaries to the outskirts of Mexico City and realizing that his revolt would only bring Mexico anarchy rather than actual reform, he ordered this followers to retreat.  In the ensuing battles, Padre Hidalgo was captured and later executed in 1811.  The spirit for independence never died and continued for the next ten years all over Mexico. It is important to note, that in August 1813 the struggles for Mexico’s Independence were also fought here in Texas.   About 2,000 of Hidalgo’s rebels (Tejanos) and Americans in support for Mexico’s Independence joined forces and captured  Nacogdoches, Presidio de La Bahia (Goliad, Texas) and San Antonio.  Their victories, unfortunately, were short lived as the Spanish royal army crushed the rebels in the battle on the Medina River, south of San Antonio.  In June 1821, Spain finally recognized Mexico’s Independence. Since the 19th century Mexico has celebrated “el Diez y Seis de Septiembre”  by ringing Padre  Hidalgo church bell, now located at the presidential palace in Mexico City, on the night of the 15 de Septiembre.  The president of Mexico reenacts “El Grito de Dolores” and on the following day, el “Diez y Seis de Septiembre”, Mexican Independence Day, is celebrated with parades, public celebrations with green, white and red banners as festive decorations. In the United States, “ el Diez y Seis de Septiembre” is celebrated much like the Irish Americans, German and Chinese Americans celebrate their culture and heritage.  So tonight and tomorrow, in cities throughout the U.S. and Mexico, Mexican Independence Day will be celebrated. In Abilene,  the Hispanics that settled  the city in the early 1910s were, for the most part, from Mexico and the U.S. Mexico border areas.  They came to Abilene and West Texas in pursue of a better quality of life.  They brought with them the traditions of their Mexican culture and heritage.  When I talked to people whose families were the first to settle Abilene, they talk of grand celebrations for the fiestas patrias, el “Diez y Seis de Septiembre”. They celebrated Mexico’s Independence with speeches, music, dances and a reina contest. Today,  as we celebrate el “Deiz y Seis de Septiembre” let us celebrate our rich culture and heritage and remember the heroic legacy of Padre Hidalgo.  Que Viva Mexico!  Que Viva los Estados Unidos! Y que Viva la communidad de Abilene! Gracias, Mike Hernandez Abilene, TX   Mary 5, 2009 2nd Annual CINCO de MAYO, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Hwy 351 and IH-20 Wal-Mart Supercenter receives City of Abilene Cinco de Mayo Proclaimation Note from: Cinco de Mayo Observance 09: Wal-Mart Supercenter-Abilene Today, as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, celebrations are being celebrated in every major city in the United States. The Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862, which represents the valor of a less equipped Mexican army against the most powerful army in the world, at the time, the French Army , is sometimes confused with the Diez y Seis de Septiembre, Mexico’s Independence Day.  In the U.S.  the Cinco de Mayo festivals are a time to celebrate the Hispanic  culture along with the many cultures that make up these United States.  The family celebrations are celebrated with dancing, mariachi music and cultural food.  It is a celebration of all cultures and heritage, much like the Irish Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Oktoberfest of German decent and the Chinese New Year. In Abilene , Hispanics have been celebrating the date since they first settled in Abilene, in significant numbers, in the early 1910s.  They came to Abilene for a variety of reasons, seeking a better quality of life from the old country of Mexico, avoiding Pancho Villa’s Mexican Revolution or just migrating from the border area to the West Texas city in search of better opportunities for their families.  The first Hispanics barrio was established east of the downtown district, in an area east of now day North Treadaway (which was known as Magnolia St.)  The north to south boundaries of the first barrio were from North 2nd to North 7th.  The eastern boundary was Cedar Creek which runs north to south.  The creek was infested with the pesky mosquitos in the summer after spring rains.  Thus, the first Hispanic barrio was named “El Barrio del Sancudo”.   Today, descendants of the first Hispanic families, hold annual reunions at Reyes Flores Park.   The Hispanic settlers to Abilene brought with them the traditions, the cultures and heritage of the old country, Mexico.   In the beginning, the barrio was segregated from the rest of the growing city.  The Hispanics that lived in the barrio worked in various semi-skilled and unskilled jobs throughout the city.  Compared to conditions in the old country, they were grateful for a new start. It is not known exactly when the first celebration of Cinco de Mayo was celebrated in Abilene. A poster recently surfaced of the 1930 three-day celebration in “El Barrio de Sancudo”  The poster that I have brought with me is significant in historical terms.  In 1930, just 10-15 years after the Hispanic barrio was settled, the poster contains the names of our first Hispanics leaders in our city.  Their influence may not have gone pass the boundaries of barrio, but none the less, they were our first Hispanic leaders who organized and participated in the 1930 Cinco de Mayo celebration..  The itinerary of the 1930 three-day festival is full of activities, outdoor jamaica, public dances, music, speeches and recitals to honor the heroes of el Cinco de Mayo.  Much like the celebrations that we have today. Abilene has celebrated many annual celebrations before and after 1930.  St. Vincent Pallotti Catholic Church began their annual citywide celebration in 1982.  This past weekend we celebrated out 27th annual with food, cultural dancing, music and a softball tournament.  In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has become a celebration of not only Hispanic culture, but of all cultures and heritage.  It is today a celebration of diversity.  A celebration of our countries heritage and freedom. Cinco de Mayo 09 Mike P. Hernandez HispanicAbilene.com All rights reserved

September 20

Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15, 2007

Spanish Texas Frontier in the Big Country and Concho Valley
Mike Hernandez
HispanicAbilene.com

This past spring I was fortune to read an interesting book on our Spanish Texas Frontier and the northern most missions of New Spain in Texas during the 1750s. The book entitled The San Saba Mission, Spanish Pivot in Texas by Robert S. Weddle is an account of how the Spanish built a northern most mission to help convert the Apaches Indians to Christianity. The Apaches had created havoc and were harassing the mission settlements in the San Antonio area.

The book is taken from situation reports written by the missionaries and military leaders on the attack of the Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba on March 16, 1758, near present day Menard, Texas. The mission, located along the San Saba River, was attacked by the Comanches, Tejas, Wichitas, Tonkawa and other allied northern tribes. The northern tribes were enemies of the Apaches and did not appreciate their alliance with the Spanish. The story of the mission’s attack is well documented in our Spanish Texas history. The Presidio de San Saba Board of Directors commemorated the 250th anniversary of the attack in June of this year.

What I found fascinating is the fact that almost a year and a half after the attack, Spanish military leader Col. Diego Ortiz Parrilla, who had commanded the presidio three miles upstream from the Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba during the attack in March 1758, conducted a military expedition to avenge the attack by the northern Indians. The expedition route took Col. Parrilla through the present day Big Country and Concho Valley.

Leaving San Antonio in the middle of August 1759, the expedition traveled to San Luis de las Amarillas on the San Saba River. The force included 360 Spanish soldiers and volunteers from northern Mexico and all the presidios in Texas. They also took with them 176 Apaches, over 1,500 horses, several hundred mules and food supplies.

From San Saba, Parrilla traveled north crossing the Concho River near present day Paint Rock, Texas and crossed the Colorado River below Ballinger, Texas. The expedition then angled northeast towards present day Fort Griffin in Shackleford County.

Following the route to this point, I decided to draw a bee-line on the present day map of Texas and found that the expedition traveled into Runnels County, entered the southern part of Taylor County, entering Callahan County and traveled just west of Clyde, Texas, before entering Shackleford County.

After crossing the Clear Fork of the Brazos River near present day Fort Griffin, Parrilla’s troops found a rancheria (Tonkawa Indian village) and attacked. Fifty-five Indians were killed and 149 were taken prisoners. There they found property belonging to the mission of Santa Cruz de San Saba.

Parrilla could have turned back victorious to San Saba, but the Tonkawa prisoners knew the location of the Wichita (Taovayas) village along the Red River. By "Day Seven", as referred by Parrilla, the expedition traveled to the area of present day Spanish Fort, along the Red River, where the Taovayas village was located.

Parrilla later wrote in his report that "the village formed of large huts of oval shape, enclosed by a stockade and moat". He added, "the stockade was armed with Indians firing muskets". After several thrusts, the Spanish were unable to penetrate the defenses of the fortified village and retreated. The attack included cannon fire which was brought to the field by the Spanish. Parrilla wrote that the defense of the village appeared to be directed by the French and a French flag could be seen in the village.

Parrilla reported that sixteen of his men were killed, fourteen wounded and several were missing. During the battle, Parrilla was grazed by two bullets and had his horse shot from under him.

After the battle, Parrilla waited a day for stragglers, then retreated to San Saba River using the most direct path back to the presidio.